European enforcement agencies are running the ROADPOL “Focus on the Road” campaign from 5 to 11 October. The checks focus primarily on mobile phone use and other electronic devices, but the wider issue is much broader. Navigation systems, telematics, messages from the operations team, fatigue and monotony can all pull a driver’s attention away from the road.
For truck drivers, distractions often arise from routine parts of the job: following a route, responding to dispatch instructions, monitoring vehicle alerts or dealing with time pressure.
A guide from the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute says fleet drivers are particularly vulnerable to attention overload. Their work combines multiple tasks, intensive operational communication, long hours behind the wheel and fatigue.
Two seconds, 50 metres and no full view of the road
A brief glance at a screen is enough to create a serious risk.
The Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB), a Polish research organisation specialising in areas including workplace safety and ergonomics, highlights the danger in its guidance for fleet drivers. At 90 km/h, taking your eyes off the road for two seconds means travelling roughly 50 metres. That is enough time to miss a vehicle braking ahead, a change in lane conditions or an unexpected obstacle.
The risk is not limited to holding a phone or making a call. Reading a message, changing the route in a navigation system or searching for a function on a touchscreen can have the same effect.
A phone is not the only distraction
Professional drivers work in an environment filled with competing demands. A phone can draw the eyes away from the road and force the brain to switch between tasks. Even a hands-free conversation leaves the driver dealing with a significant cognitive load. On-board systems, touchscreens, telematics applications and navigation tools can also divert attention.
Transport work often involves what is known as forced multitasking. A driver may need to monitor the road, listen to dispatch instructions, follow navigation guidance, respond to vehicle alerts and check telematics data at the same time.
Attention, however, is limited. The more stimuli arrive simultaneously, the greater the chance that one of them will pull the driver’s focus away from what is happening ahead.
Set the navigation before moving off
Some of the simplest precautions can be taken before the journey begins. Set the route, music and vehicle settings in advance. Keep the phone outside the immediate field of view or activate Do Not Disturb. Unnecessary alerts should also be disabled, while voice controls are preferable to handling a screen while driving.
The practical rule is straightforward: if an action requires several seconds of looking at a display or scrolling through menus, wait until the vehicle is parked.
Dispatch can overload attention too
Not every distraction starts with a decision made by the driver. The institute warns that frequent alerts, notifications and messages from dispatchers can create information overload and increase stress. Telematics can make route and vehicle management easier, but poorly organised communication can turn it into another source of distraction.
Fleet operators should therefore limit the number of messages sent while a vehicle is moving. They should also avoid situations in which a driver receives text messages, app notifications and phone calls at the same time.
Monotony can be as dangerous as information overload
Too much information is not the only problem. Long, repetitive journeys can lead to attention drift. The driver continues carrying out basic tasks, but their focus gradually becomes less connected to the road environment.
This is particularly likely on motorways, at night or on familiar routes. Monotony can reduce alertness, increase drowsiness and make behaviour more automatic. As a result, the driver may react more slowly when something unexpected happens.
Take a break before drowsiness sets in
CIOP experts identify regular breaks as one of the most effective ways to prevent concentration from deteriorating. The institute’s guide recommends stopping every 2–2.5 hours of driving, or earlier if the driver begins to feel tired. A break should last at least 15 minutes, with 20–30 minutes considered preferable. Getting out of the vehicle, walking around and stretching can help. Where conditions allow, a short nap of 10–20 minutes may also be useful.
These additional breaks do not replace the mandatory rest periods required under driving and working-time rules. The aim is to respond early, before fatigue begins to noticeably affect attention.
Safety systems cannot replace alertness
Modern trucks increasingly support drivers with cruise control, lane-assistance systems, fatigue monitoring and automatic braking.
Technology can improve safety, but it also carries a potential downside. The institute warns about the risk of reduced vigilance. After relying on assistance systems for a long time, drivers may monitor the road less actively and overestimate what the vehicle can handle. If an unusual situation arises, it may then take longer to resume full control.
Driver-assistance systems should support attention, not replace it.
The simplest rule: the road comes first
The institute’s guidance makes clear that professional driver distraction rarely has a single cause. Fatigue, time pressure, communication with the company, technology and routine often combine. Reducing the risk therefore involves more than simply putting the phone down.
Anything that can be prepared before departure should be handled while the vehicle is parked. Once on the road, tasks unrelated to driving should be kept to a minimum.
During a week of heightened ROADPOL checks, this approach may help drivers avoid a fine. More importantly, it addresses a daily safety risk: at truck speeds, a few seconds of inattention can mean travelling dozens of metres without full control of what is happening ahead.
